Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

CHEN'S SPEECH TO FLESH OUT CROSS-STRAIT TIES, CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

2004-05-19 22:02:13

Taipei, May 19 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Wednesday that
issues on relations between Taiwan and mainland China as well as
constitutional reforms will form the bulk of the inaugural speech he
will deliver on May 20.

Chen made the remarks while meeting with three former chairmen of
the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) -- David N. Laux, Nat
Bellocchi and Richard Bush -- who had arrived in Taipei to attend
Thursday's inauguration for the Republic of China's 11th-term
president and vice president.
"In my inaugural speech, I will especially expound on the future
development of cross-strait matters and constitutional revisions over
which the public is very concerned, with these two issues forming the
bulk of my 5,000-word speech, " Chen told the three former U.S. top
liaison officers.

Noting that this demonstrates that his administration attaches
great importance to relations between the two sides of the Taiwan
Strait and the future development of Taiwan's constitutional
democracy, Chen said that through his inaugural speech, he will give
the attention to these two issues with a responsible, rational and
firm attitude so that everyone will have confidence in Taiwan and its
government as well as in himself.
"Although these issues are very sensitive, thorny and
complicated, we will galvanize our creativity and pool our wisdom to
put forward Taiwan's thinking in a very rational, pragmatic and
responsible way," the president stressed.

Saying that many in the United States have recently been greatly
interested in what would be in the inaugural speech as well as the
situation in Taiwan and in the area of the Taiwan Strait, Chen
pointed out that his administration is willing to do its utmost to
amend the "chasm" in Taipei-Washington relations, if such a divide
actually exists.

Consequently, Chen said that in his inaugural speech, he will
make public several more concrete steps his government will take in
the coming four years to serve the common interests of Taiwan and the
United States and to make greater contributions to the maintenance of
peace in the Taiwan Strait as well as maintaining security and
stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

If there were any questions regarding Taiwan-U.S. ties over the
past four years, they were certainly because the Taipei authorities
failed to do enough, regardless if such questions were raised due to
intentional misleading or mutual misunderstanding, Chen noted.

The president also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President
George W. Bush and the American people for their concern over
Taiwan-related issues and goodwill proposals, saying that their
positive proposals have all reached the ears of the Taipei
authorities.

Also present at the meeting were Chiou I-jen, secretary-general
of the Presidential Office, vice secretary-general Joseph Wu, who
will serve as chairman of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council,
and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tan Sun Chen.